This application claims the priority of Federal Republic of Germany Patent Document No. 101 37 032.6, filed Jul. 30, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a seal arrangement for a folding roof of a hardtop vehicle with a front roof part and a rear roof part which can, via pivotable lateral roof pillars, be moved from a closed position into a storage position inside a rear luggage space. The rear roof part has a frame with a rear window, which frame is pivotable in relation to the lateral roof pillars. The invention further relates to a method for making a seal arrangement.
DE 197 51 660 C1 discloses a device for storing the roof of a hardtop vehicle. The advantage of such an arrangement is that the roof can be stored in a space-saving manner, because the front roof part and the rear roof part with the rear window can be curved in the same direction and stored in the rear region of the vehicle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a seal for such a roof arrangement, which seal ensures that the roof is impermeable in the closed state and that water can be carried away in such a manner that the interior remains unaffected.
For the new sealing arrangement, the front region of the rear window which meets the front roof part, has a sealing strip which extends under the front roof part and the lateral roof pillars. The sealing strip includes a main seal and a comfort seal with a channel lying therebetween, and extends into the region of the pivoting axis of the rear window. The lateral roof pillars have a seal extending under the rear window, which seal extends from the region of the pivoting axis to the rear edge of the rear window. The seal likewise includes a main seal, a comfort seal and a channel lying therebetween. The two main seals adjoin one another in the region of the pivoting axis with their mutually facing abutting locations. The seal arranged on the lateral roof pillars is provided with an additional channel in this region, which is in alignment with the channel of the sealing strip and, under the main seal, communicates with the channel between the main seal and the comfort seal of the sealing strip.
By virtue of this configuration, it is possible, in spite of the mobility of the rear window, to simply and reliably conduct rain or washing water downwards out of the roof region without complex measures.
In a development of the invention, the main seals can be cut obliquely at their abutting locations. When the pivoting movement of the rear window takes place, the abutting locations are laid under pressure against each other and are thus only loaded under pressure when the pivoting movement takes place to reduce wear.
In a development of the invention, in order to bring about water guidance in the leakage channels in the pivoting region under the main seals, a collecting trough can be provided under the main seal at the transition location, which trough serves for the onward guidance of water.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.